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Mantequilla Avocado

It is a variety of avocado from the islands of San Andrès and Providencia. This tree grows to between 6 and 10 metres in height and is characterised by having very large and enervated leaves. The fruit grows in clusters (racemes) which can contain up to four fruits. The size of these fruits can reach 15 cm in diameter. The skin, once it is nearly ripe, becomes darker and less shiny, turning from light green to a deep green or even purple. It has a single round seed of less than 6 cm in diameter. It is harvested between the months of June and august. Its flavour is delicate to the palate and juicy with a texture resembling butter which gave rise to the name used by the island populations. The fruit is thought to have medicinal properties including cholesterol reduction and the treatment of skin diseases. The fruit is consumed raw or mixed in to salads which accompany meals. In respect to its history, no information is available regarding whether it was introduced to the island or not. During the interviews held, respondents stated that they have known of this fruit since always and that even their grandparents consumed it abundantly.

This fruit has been an important part of the island’s culture and traditional gastronomy, but it is nowadays harder to find it on the tables of the local islanders. When it is harvested, the few families that still have plants then share it with their neighbours and friends while others forage the fruit in the remaining forest areas on the island of San Andrès.

This plant has seen its presence on the islands diminish with the sharpest loss seen on the island of San Andrès where it currently represents only 1% of the wild fruit trees found. The causes of this loss can be traced back to the deforestation seen in the last years and to plagues brought upon by the introduction of foreign varieties.

The traditional products, local breeds, and know-how collected by the Ark of Taste belong to the communities that have preserved them over time. They have been shared and described here thanks to the efforts of the network that that Slow Food has developed around the world, with the objective of preserving them and raising awareness.
The text from these descriptions may be used, without modifications and citing the source, for non-commercial purposes in line with the Slow Food philosophy.

Students of the Gastronomic Sciences at Pollenzo are collaborating with Slow Food to fill the Ark.